Lusito Land Festival a carnival fun-fair for all

One of Joburg’s most anticipated cultural food and music events, the Lusito Land Festival, will this year again host a carnival funfair which is guaranteed to amuse toddlers, children and the young-at-heart. The funfair will boast a whole range of rides and entertainment for its expected 80 000 patrons, in addition to the exquisite cuisine and vibrant live music on offer.

Read: Lusito Land’s all-star line-up

The 36^th year of this much-loved Portuguese extravaganza is set to kick off on Wednesday and enthral visitors to May 1, at its new venue Cayman Road, Alewynspoort, Johannesburg South. To heighten the carnival atmosphere, the all-inclusive children’s entertainment will be available from Thursday between 1pm and 4pm through to the conclusion of the festival.

‘Crianças’ can look forward to the legendary entertainment firm ‘Miles of Smiles’. With their 19 years of experience both domestically and internationally their offerings of face painting, balloon sculpting, clowns, fairies, dancers, stilt walkers and much more are sure to be a crowd pleaser. “Their versatile team promises entertainment that will captivate all ages. We are delighted to have this as a lively addition to the Lusito Land Festival,” says Noemia Contente, spokesperson from the Lusito Association for the Physically and Mentally Handicapped.

For patrons seeking even more thrills, the not to be missed Torre Aerobatics team will fly over the venue demonstrating their remarkable stunts on Thursday and again on Sunday. “The flying aces of South Africa will descend onto Lusito Land with their tricks, stunts and aerobatics,” continues Contente.

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To ensure everyone has the opportunity to attend the event, festival organisers have added a shuttle service for patrons to the venue. Buses will depart on fixed routes with a maximum ride time of 45 minutes. “This service will enable our visitors to make their own way to the event at a time of their choosing using a transportation mode of their choice.” The shuttle service will be available to patrons from 9.30pm to closing time on the 26^th of April, and will be available from 4pm thereafter through to the 30^th of April.  Tickets and bus stop locations are available from Selecta Shuttle at www.selectashuttle.co.za. In addition, festival tickets can not only be bought online at Computicket but can also be purchased at the venue from the Computicket box office.

Also Read: Lusito Land Festival announces its menus

Besides entertainment and a celebration of Portuguese culture, the festival serves a greater purpose. The profits made at the festival each year go to the Lusito Association, which manages the Lusito School for the physically and mentally handicapped, a school which caters to more than 80 learners.  The cost of caring for special-needs children is typically beyond the capability of families, and with funds raised from the Lusito Land festivals parents need only pay a R1 700 a month while the school subsidises the remainder of the R5, 500 monthly school fee.

“This year represents something of a renaissance for Lusito Land Festival, and to inaugurate our new 2017 venue. It is our intention to refocus on the Portuguese element of the festival and have this return to its status as the highlight of the Portuguese year. We are returning to the core values of the festival the wide variety of entertainment and affordable prices to ensure visitors are given a social event which allows them to spend quality time with family and friends, all the time knowing that they are contributing to a most worthwhile cause,” concludes Contente.

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